1The LORD said to Moses, 2"Speak to the Israelites, and get 12 staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their tribes. Write each man's name on his staff. 3Write Aaron's name on the staff for Levi because there must be one staff for the head of each tribe. 4Put them in the tent of meeting where I meet with you, in front of the words of my promise. 5The staff from the man I choose will begin to grow. In this way I will silence the frequent complaints the Israelites make against you and Aaron." 6So Moses spoke to the Israelites. Their leaders gave him 12 staffs, one from the leader of each of their tribes. Aaron's staff was among them. 7Moses put the staffs in the LORD's presence in the tent of the words of God's promise.

8The next day Moses went into the tent. He found that Aaron's staff for the tribe of Levi had not only begun to grow, but it had also blossomed and produced ripe almonds. 9Moses brought out the staffs from the LORD's presence and showed them to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each man took his staff. 10The LORD said to Moses, "Put Aaron's staff back in front of the words of my promise, and keep it there as a sign to warn any other rebels. Then you will stop their complaints about me, and they won't die." 11Moses did exactly what the LORD commanded him to do.

12The Israelites said to Moses, "Now we're going to die! We're lost! We're all lost! 13Anyone who comes near the LORD's tent will die! Are we all going to die?"